Magnitude 3.8 earthquake rattles South Kona

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake that struck 13 miles south of Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo of Hawai‘i Island Monday morning had no apparent impact on the magmatic systems of either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Obersvatory.

The quake hit at 6:20 a.m. at a depth of 3 miles below sea level. The depth, location, and recorded seismic waves of the earthquake suggest a source due to stress within the west flank of Mauna Loa volcano, according to experts from the observatory.

“This earthquake is probably not related to the magnitude 6 earthquake that occurred on May 22, which was related to stress from the weight of the island on the underlying rigid mantle,” the observatory stated in a news release.

Last month’s tremor caused severe widespread damage in the area, rocking homes off their foundations and destroying dozens of catchment systems that left residents without potable water.

Weak shaking was reported during Monday’s event, which is not expected to cause significant damage.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.